Sheree Fitch has done it again but this time it has been done a bit differently. While Polly MacCauley is a very Canadian story, perfect to come out for Canada’s 150th year, the readership would be a bit older than most of her other children’s stories.
Weaved with the perfect mix of excellent advice for all ages balanced with Fitch’s usual playful take on words, this story especially highlights the love of the River John community and its history. Complete with Gaelic, French and Mi’kmaq, this story covers the land from River John to Ecum Secum to Tokyo and Jupiter, too.
Fitch, as all of her readers know, has a beautiful way with words and rhymes, this time taking that beauty to a whole new level with messages and history we can all appreciate. A yarn of a tale for adults disguised as a children’s book with delightfully coloured pictures, Polly MacCauley encompasses wisdom and hope.
Complete with written imagery such as “sunlight spread like melted butter across an ink-blue sky” we are taken to the wonder that is River John and encouraged to use our own imagination to weave our own wondrous tale.
“Even though not everyone in the village always saw eye to eye, and they had to agree to disagree over many things, in this instant, on this night, they all agreed.” As fitting as this quote is to the book, it’s more suited to the community of River John, it’s people and the readers beyond – Polly and its author Sheree Fitch is a memorable part of the community and Polly MacCauley’s Finest Divinest Wolliest Gift of All is within these pages and well beyond.
